Building-brick



I def/loam.

M. HAZEL.

BUILDING BRICK.

- Patented 001;. 8,1895.

.a high wall, arch, flue,

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.lVlLLIAhiM. HAZEL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BUILDING-BRICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,721, dated October 8, 1895.

Application filed May 28. 18,95.

To all whom it mag/concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. HAZEL,,& citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented'a new and useful Building-Brick, of which the following is a specification;

The object of this invention is to so construct building bricks or blocks of clay, stone, or similar material that when they are set in reservoir, sewer, foundation, or built in a structural iron or wood frame each brick or block will be so keyed or tied to the other horizontally and vertically that there will be much greater strength, firmness, and durability insured than can be obtained by those now in common use.

The improvement consistsof a building brick or block having'a groove whose side walls incline outwardly and having the bottom or innerwall roughened, serrated, or corrugated, the side walls being higher than the inner or bottom wall. The outwardly-inclined walls, together with the roughened inner wall, form a-strong keyed wall and admit of the brick or block being readily molded, because the mold will easily slide out of or draw from thearticle, as will be readily comprehended.

The invention also consists of the peculiar and novel arrangement of the grooves formed in the top, bottom, ends, and sides of four bricks or blocks in such a manner as to brihg about the desired results in a simple and ef-' flcient manner, as will appear more fully from the following description and claims, and

which are illustrated in drawings, in which- Figure l illustratesa brick or block having the groove centrally located and extending throughout its length, top,- bottom, and ends. Fig; 2 illustrates a brick or block having the groove made in its end, a portion of its length, top, and bottom, and then turned at right angles' to its'length, top, and bottom and extending. across the side near the opposite end. Fig. 3 illustrates a brick or block having two grooves extending entirely around its body in parallel relation and in proximate relation .to the ends ot the said brick or block. Fig. 4 illustrates a brick havln the groove extending part of its length an turned at right on the accompanying Serial No. 550,998. (No model) ales near each end and extending around one edge to the corresponding groove on the under side of the said brick or block. Fig. 5 shows the invention applied. Figs. 6 7, and 8 show modified forms of the groove.

The vital features of the invention reside, in the peculiar formation and arrangement movement. This groove 5, as shown in Fig. 6,

has its side walls 6 oppositely inclined and the inner or bottom wall 7 ribbed, the form of'the rib in cross-section being of an'in'verted V. In Fig. 7'the bottom or inner wall? is formed with two ribs or flutes, which are of similar construction to the single rib shown in Fig. 6. In

Fig. 8 the bottom or inner wall 7 is roughened in any suitable and desired manner, and in practice will be provided with anysuitable 1nscription, such as the name of the maker or the word patented, the lettering ibeingso formed as to attain a broken or roughened surface. t

Fig. 1- shows what may be designated a stretcher, and the groove 5 therein extends entirely around the body in a longitudinal direction. The brick or block shown in Fig.

2 is a corner-stretcher, and the .lgroove 5' formed therein extends across one nd a distancelengthwise thereof on the to and the bottom, thence laterally and across one side in proximate relation to the ungrooved end. f

In Fig.3 is shown an intermediate bond having two grooves 5 extending tr nsversely around the body in parallel relat'on and at an equal-distance from the ends hereof, so

as to match with the longitudinaligroove of an intermediate or corner stretche Fig. t shows a corner or end bon and the groove-5, formed therein, extends or a. short distance of the length of the bri k, thence laterally at each end and across a s de of the said brick, and joins with the groove formed on the bottom side of the brick.

The grooves are so formed and related in the four sets of bricks or blocks thatwhen the latter are combined and laid in a. wall, fine, foundation, arch, or by the side of or over the windows, doors, or other openings in the wall they will be so keyed or tied to each other as to make amuch stronger structure than is possible with the bricks in common use.

It is a well-known fact-among builders that masons, .in constructing brick walls, in order to have them secure, after having run up the stretchers or front layers of bricks end to end, when five or seven rows are thus laid one upon the other, are then compelled to flush up the line-course level and put in a tie or header by laying bricks lengthwise across the wall its entire length as a bond to hold the wall together, or to hold it by a Flemish bond, which is every other brick laid crosswise the wall in every five or seven rows. By thepresent invention fewer bonds are needed, and in some cases none not more frequently than every ten or twelve rows even in high walls, because in laying the bricks with the grooves in them each brick laid is tied or keyed to the other top, bottom, and ends, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5, thereby forminga completely keyed and tied wall, exceptionally strong and durable. When the bricks are laid with mortar or cement, the latter hardens in the grooves 5 and completely keys or wedges each course upon the other, so that the possibility of the walls cracking, separating, or bulging is reduced to a minimum. It will be observed that a continuous key is formed by the mortar or cement,so that each brick when in its position in the wall is completely and securely keyed together, both vertically and horizontally, in each layer.

When the invention is applied to the constructionof arches or for finishing over windows and doors, it will be seen that each brick will, by the key made by the mortar or comcut resting in the groove, in turning the arch or making the finish,hang upon the said hey, thereby preventing the possibility of one brick or block slipping past the other out of its proper position when subjected to great strain, thereby insuring a firm and strong arch and finish. When common bricks form a foundation in damp places, the dampness will ooze through the wall at the seams, particularly where there is imperfect masonry in joining. By the present invention this cannot occur, because the key, of mortar or coment, resting in the groove across all scams, prevents the water and dampness from passing through, thereby rendering the wall dry.

A wall br fine constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention will be fireproof, in that the key extending across the joint will preclude'the possibility of sparks or fire passing or working their way through the wall b'etweenthe joints.

This invention is particularly adapted 'for constructing high buildings with structural iron frames, since the wall will not settle,

crack, bulge, or press away from the ironwork, which results cannot be attained by the ordinary smooth faced brick. In constructing that class of houses having an interior framework and a casing or veneering of brick the present invention fills a long-felt want, because the wall is held in an upright position securely in place and by crossing all seams, both vertically and horizontally, the water is prevented from beating through during storms, therebyinsuring a dry wall and house.

The building brick or block may be given any required form according to the shape and outline of the wall, and it may be curved on one or both sides, made angular, or provided in polygonal outline for use in bay-wi11dows or'in any other brickwork that may have a carved edge, or it may be applied to an ornamental and enameled brick or block without departing from the nature of the invention.

Therefore it is to be understood that changes.

in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Another important use for which their]- vention is designed is in constructingthe wall and bottom of reservoirs and sewers, where the wall so often leaks and breaks out when made of smooth-face brick or stone. The device by crossing all seams with the key of mortar or cement will entirely prevent the leaking and breaking of wall or sinking of bottom, because each brick, being keyed and tied to the other, guarantees so much more strength and resistance to the structure, thus making it a valuable addition to this class of work.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- 1. A building brick or block having a groove in its face whose side walls incl i no on twardly in opposite directions, and whose inner wall is ribbed, the side walls being higher than the walls of the rib and forming there with a groove whose outline in cross section approximates the letter W, substantially as set forth.

2. A building brick or block having a contrally-disposed groove extending lengthwise entirely around its body, the sidesol the groove being oppositely inclined and the innor wall roughened or ribbed, substantially as set; forth.

3. A wall formed of building bricks or blocks comprising stretchers havingagroove extending lengthwise around their bodies, corner stretcher-s having a groove arranged in a portion of their length and laterally on opposite sides, and the said groove extending across one end on one side, intermediate bonds having grooves extending transversely around their bodies, and corner bonds having agrooveextending lengthwise thereof, thence laterally at each end and across one side, the grooves of the several bricks or blocks hav- ICC IlO

ing their side walls oppositely inclined and" In testimony that I (tiftililiiie foregoing as the inner wall ribbed or corrugated, and all my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the grooves registering 'so that when the presence of two witnesses.

bricks or blocks are properly positioned keys 7 WILLIAM -M. HAZEL. 5 will be formed and extend across the joints, Witnesses:

substantially as described for the purpose set JO N F; TURNER,

forth. GEO. B. A ELE. 

